An individual receives a discharge for most of his or her debts in a chapter 7 bankruptcy case. A creditor may no longer initiate or continue any legal or other action against the debtor to collect a discharged debt. But not all of an individual's debts are discharged in chapter 7.
May the debtor pay a discharged debt after the bankruptcy case has been concluded? A debtor who has received a discharge may voluntarily repay any discharged debt. A debtor may repay a discharged debt even though it can no longer be legally enforced.
Courts can issue a discharge ruling when the debtor meets the discharge requirements under Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 of federal bankruptcy law, or the ruling is based on a debt canceling. A canceling of debt happens when the lender agrees that the rest of the debt is forgiven.
Generally, a discharge removes the debtors' personal liability for debts owed before the debtors' bankruptcy case was filed. Also, if this case began under a different chapter of the Bankruptcy Code and was later converted to chapter 7, debts owed before the conversion are discharged.
What happens when a creditor files an objection? A creditor's objection does not automatically prevent a discharge of debt. The debtor gets a chance to file an answer to the objection, and the court may hold a hearing to decide the issue. This is called an adversary proceeding, and it works much like any other lawsuit.
People who file for personal bankruptcy get a discharge ? a court order that says they don't have to repay certain debts. Bankruptcy is generally considered your last option because of its long-term negative impact on your credit.
The Process of a Debt Discharge The bankruptcy court will look at your plan and decide whether it is fair and in ance with the law. You will also need to work with a trustee who will distribute these payments to the creditors. The trustee will pay creditors ing to priority.
From filing to discharge (wiping out debts), Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases typically take 4-6 months. As far as personal bankruptcies go, Chapter 7 is the fastest. By comparison, Chapter 13 can take up to five years because a repayment plan is involved.